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CHAPTER 32
Alma teaches the poor whose afflictions had humbled them— |
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1 AND it came to pass that they did go forth, and began to
preach the word of God unto the people, entering into their
synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and even they did preach
the word in their streets.
2 And it came to pass that after much labor among them, they began to have success among the apoor class of people; for behold, they were cast out of the synagogues because of the coarseness of their apparel— 3 Therefore they were not permitted to enter into their synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness; therefore they were poor; yea, they were esteemed by their brethren as adross; therefore they were bpoor as to things of the world; and also they were poor in hearta.
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3a they were poor in heart Now his being 'poor in heart' was that they were caused to be humble because of their lack of the riches of the world, that they were poor. Now this is the same as being lowly in heart or humble except that this condition is 'compelled' upon them because of their poverty. |
2a
Luke 6:20;
Luke 7:22;
TG
Poor 3a Luke 18:9 b Alma 34:40
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4 Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon the
hill aOnidah, there came a great
bmultitude unto him, who were those of whom we have been
speaking, of whom were cpoor in heart, because of their
poverty as to the things of the world.
5 And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost among them said unto him: Behold, awhat shall these my brethren do, for they are bdespised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have ccast us out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have dno place to worship our God; and behold, ewhat shall we do? 6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their aafflictions had truly bhumbled them and that they were in a cpreparation to hear the word.
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4a
Alma 47:5 b TG Assembly for Worship c TG Poor in Spirit 5a Prov. 18:23 b TG Oppression c Alma 33:10 d Alma 33:2 e Acts 2:37-38; Alma 34:3 6a TG Adversity b TG Humility; TG Teachable c Prov. 16:1; Alma 16:16-17; D&C 101:8
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7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he
stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld, who were truly
penitent, and said unto them:
8 I behold that ye are alowly in heart; and if so, blessed are ye. 9 Behold thy brother hath said, What shall we do?—for we are cast out of our synagogues, that we cannot worship our God.
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8a
Matt. 5:5 (3-5)
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10 Behold I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye
acannot worship God save it be in your synagogues only?
11 Moreover, I would ask, do ye suppose that ye must not worship God only aonce in a week? 12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn awisdom; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your brethren because of your exceeding bpoverty, that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble.
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10a
TG
Worship 11a Mosiah 18:25 12a Eccl. 4:13 b Prov. 16:8; Prov. 18:11
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13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for
a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh
arepentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find
mercy; and he that findeth mercy and bendureth to the end
the same shall be saved.
14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be ahumble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word? 15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.
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13a
TG
Objectives b Alma 38:2; 3 Ne. 15:9; 3 Ne. 27:6-17; TG Perseverance; TG Steadfastness 14a 2 Kings 22:19
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16 Therefore, blessed are they who ahumble
themselves without being bcompelled to be humble; or
rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and
is baptized without cstubbornness of heart, yea, without
being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will
believe.
17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a asign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe. 18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to abelieve, for he knoweth it.
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16a
TG
Humility b TG Initiative c TG Stubbornness 17a TG Sign Seekers; TG Signs 18a Luke 16:30 (27-31); Ether 12:12, 18
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19 And now, how much amore
bcursed is he that cknoweth the
dwill of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth,
or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into
etransgression?
20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man according to his work.
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19a
D&C 41:1 b TG Curse c John 15:24 (22-24) d TG God, Will of e TG Transgression
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21 And now as I said concerning faith—afaith
is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye
bhope for things which are cnot seen,
which are truea.
22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should remember, that God is amerciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word. 23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto mena, yea, anot only men but women also. Now this is not all; little bchildren do have words given unto them many times which cconfound the wise and the learnedb.
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21a hope for things which are not seen,
which are true Now exactly was is it that we are to 'hope' for?
Is it just unseen things which are true? What is our great hope? The best
statement of what our great 'hope' is to be is found in the book of Moroni
chapter seven verse 41. It states, 'ye shall have hope, through atonement
and resurrection of Christ, to be raised unto life eternal'. Now there is
much which does surround and is a part of this great hope of exaltation in
the Celestial Kingdom of Heaven, but this is our hope. For as we were dead
in Adam because of the fall, even so we are alive in Christ.
23a he imparteth his word by angels unto men The ministering of angels unto men has been the means by which the gospel has been administered from God unto men from the beginning. Adam, after he was cast out of the Garden of Eden was visited by certain messenger from God, angels from God as it were. And they did minister unto him according to his faithfulness in the Lord, giving unto Adam the plan of redemption and the ordinances thereof unto salvation. So it is today, as the gospel has again been restored to earth through the administration of angels. And as it was in the days of Adam, these angels were taken from those who were yet to come, even so in the latter days, the administration of these angels were of those who had come already. And they all were those from among us, for none do minister unto this world but those who do pertain unto it (D&C 130:5). 23b this is not all; little children do have words given unto them manytimes which confound the wise and the learned The administration of angels often comes to and trough children, an 8 year old Samuel, a 10 year old Mormon, an 11 year old Nephi, a 12 year old Jesus and a 14 year old Joseph Smith are but a few examples. One ought not ever become so puffed up with their own 'wisdom and learning' that they are not humble enough to learn and accept truth from whom ever it may come, the unlearned and even children. Every one knows something that any other particular person does not know and cannot learn from that other, if one is but humble and a true seeker of the truth. Professor Hugh Nibley had often pointed out that relatively none of us know very much at all in comparision to the knowledge of God and that which is contained in the universe. True humility will allow one to be teachable in all circumstance and from any who have something to give which another does not know or understand; even the child may teach the old man if the elderly will but seek what is there to be obtained. |
21a
John 20:29;
Heb. 11:1-40 b TG Hope c Ether 12:6 22a TG God, Mercy of 23a Joel 2:29 (28-29) b Matt. 11:25; Luke 10:21; 3 Ne. 26:14-16; D&C 128:18 b D&C 133:58
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24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of me
what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out—now I do not
desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you only according to that
which is true—
25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among you who awould humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever circumstances they might. 26 Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.
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25a
TG
Intiative;
TG
Sincerity
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27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an
experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of
faitha, yea, even if ye
can no more than adesire to believe, let this desire work
in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a
portion of my words.
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a aseeda. Now, if ye give place, that a bseed may be planted in your cheart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your dunbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to eenlighten my funderstanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. 29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.
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27a an experiment upon my words, and exercise a
particcl of faith This 'experiment' that will be suggested by Alam may be
laid out upon the vision of the Tree of Life for greater understanding. 28a we will compare the word unto a seed Now when someone firsts clasps on or takes hold of the concept of Jesus Christ the Redeemer and begins to exercise faith in him and in his word, that man's understanding is little or small, even but the size of a seed of hope and/or desire. But yet does faith in Christ begins. And that faith in Christ begins to grow and develop in that man as he continues in the way, learning and taking heed unto the word of God, the 'Rod' of iron, the word of God and it begins to enlighten the mind further as the light and life of truth further begins to come in unto man's understanding, begins to swell his soul. And it is that fruit unto the soul of man that is most delicious to the taste of man's soul that hungers for the light of God's truth. Thus as the enlargement of the degrees line upon line and precept upon precept begin to further grow in man's understandings of God and the enlargement of the testimony of God, thus the tree of life begins to grown, the nearer and closer the man comes, the tree is enlarges until its light feels that man completely with the light and eternal life unto immortality and eternal life in and with God. In the end of his endurance, man will have walked the path unto the tree of life and come unto a fulness of God's love and understanding unto lifee eternal. Until man does become even as God Is, one which God and Christ in the faith, purpose and life of God's glory. Is not this the desire of man's soul? |
27a
TG
Motivations;
TG
Teachable 28a Alma 33:1 b Luke 8:11-15 c TG Heart d TG Doubt; TG Unbelief, Unbelivers e TG Discernment, Spiritual; TG Edification f TG Intelligence; TG Testimony; TG Understanding
 the Tree of Life Frame All three primany symbols are central to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his mission and his person. The path in the means of the way give man in and through the Gospel of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. As man walks that steps of that way, he is abiding by and conforming his life to the ways, ordinances and commandments of God. He is becoming more like God is upon every line upon line, precept upon precept as he comes closer and near unto even as God is on high until man has actually reach the very perfection of Christ in God and may become one in and with him. In this was the path is Christ when he says unto man come follow me, follow me in the ways of life unto eternal life. Of course the WORD is the Word of God, the Word of Christ as we learn to live by every word that proceeds forth from the mouth of God, our Lord, our Ministering God Jehovah, who it the same as Jesus Christ. And the Tree is the symbol of God's Love which lover is that love that God did love the world to give his Only Begotten Son, and the Son giveing of himself, his life, for his fellow man bestowing upon them the light of life, his imputed righteousness upon them as they come unto him, partake of his spirit of life and live forever with hm in the Father and forever become one in and with them in the glorious faith of the truth and light of God's love. Each is a representation of Christ and what Christ makes possible for man by that mission which Christ has opened unto man in his bestowal of redeeming love. |
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30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and
beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good;
for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow.
And now behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it
will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a
good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.
31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own alikeness. 32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.
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31a
Gen. 1:12 (11-12)
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33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and
planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to
grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.
34 And now, behold, is your aknowledge bperfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thinga, and your cfaith is dormant; and this because ye know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.
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34a your knowledge in perfect in that
thing This implies and does most certainly mean that there are
many 'things' pertaining to the Kingdom of God and unto Salvation and
Exaltation, a great many of which men DO NOT know concerning. Now, while it
is upon Christ and faith in him which this particular seed will be compared
according to the words of Alma and Amulek, and that is faith in Christ unto
salvation, the Plan of Exaltation does contain many precepts within it, far
more than just one simple testimony and faith in Christ, as great and as
central as that is. And these precepts come line at a time, line upon line,
precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. And they come by the
Spirit of Revelation unto man. Which Spirit is the Holy Ghost. And it is this
Spirit which does reveal all things unto the children of men which is
necessary for their salvation and exaltation. So thus the precepts are given
one, two or a few at a time unto men by the Spirit of Revelation. And what do
these precepts consist of? These are the Principles, Laws, Ordinances,
Covenants and Commandments of God unto men. And none have them all as many
are yet to be given in the due time and course of the Lord unto men in the
time and season thereof, that is when it has become expediant from them to
be so revealed unto men unto their salvation. For until the latter-day
beginnings of the judgments of men unto their varying courses, there are such
higher precepts which are not yet revealed such as the order and manner of
the resurrection and the ordinance and power of the priesthood thereof which
is to perform the the restoring of the spirit body of a man unto its physical
body, make them one's eternal and everlasting soul of the resurrection by
which they will continue in that glory they are raised in forever. Thus we
say, we believe all that God has revealed, and we believe all that God does
now reveal, and we believe that God will yet reveal many important things
pertaining to the Kingdom of God. For there are many such 'mysteries' of God
yet to be revealed, which will not be revealed unto the wicked, but only to
be revealed unto them to whom they will pertain and be effective upon.
And here again we see that if men do close the door of revelation, the ministering of angels and of living prophets unto themselves by closing their acceptable scriptural cannons, denying perpetual administering of the angels of God unto men, and the being led according to the word and direction of God's living oracles, the is his Apostles and Prophets, then they have so STOPPED or as is said , 'DAMNED' up their own path unto God. And thus have all the churches of traditional Christianity done, by turning their backs upon the power of God unto salvation. They have fained belief in Christ, the have fained repentance of sin and even the new birth of baptism; but they have cut and blocked their strait and narrow path to God off immediately after having fained entering in at the gate. Entering the gate is not and end in itself, it is but the beginning of all other things unto God. And only through the Spirit of Continuous Revelation by the power of the Holy Ghost are these things given unto men by the gifts of the Spirit which include the ministering of angels and the proclamation of the living revelations and prophecies of the LIVING Apostles and Prophets of God, whereby God's peple may be led in he way of the straight and narrow path. For without that continuous divine guidance and light which does show to man the way of God which God would lead us in, men are but left unto their own vain imaginations and the precepts of men, not of God, by which they take it upon themselves to so lead themselves without God's true power of the divine continued workings an direction from God which only the Holy Ghost can bring by those so stated means and processes of continuous revealed scripture, cotinued administration of angels and the Word of God by the mouth of his living holy prophet leaders. |
34a
TG
Knowledge b Ps. 19:17 c Ether 3:19 d TG Mind
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35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is
alight; and whatsoever is light, is
bgood, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know
that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your
knowledge perfect?
36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good. 37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
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35a
TG
Light b Gen. 1:4
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38 But if ye aneglect the tree, and take no thought
for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of
the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and
ye pluck it up and cast it out.
39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your aground is bbarren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof. 40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the atree of life.
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38a
TG
Apostasy of Individuals 39a Matt. 13:5 (3-8) b TG Barrenness 40a Gen. 2:9; 1 Ne. 15:36 (22, 28, 36)
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41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it
beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with
apatience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall
take root; and behold it shall be a tree bspringing up unto
everlasting life.
42 And because of your adiligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the bfruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. 43 Then, my brethren, ye shall areap the brewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.
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41a
TG
Patience b Alma 33:23; D&C 63:23 42a TG Diligence b Matt. 13:23; Col. 1:6; 1 Ne. 8:10-18; 3 Ne. 14:16; D&C 52:34 (18, 34) 43a TG Harvest b TG Reward b Alma 33:23
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